Traditions
by Pen-Always-In-Hand
Summary: The Yamanaka, Nara, and Akimichi clans gather to witness the ascension of their new clan heads.
1. Chapter 1

It was a blue-skied day with white clouds, the perfect kind to watch as they floated lazily across the sky, arranging themselves into shapes and forms that were sometimes recognizable and sometimes not.

Nara Shikamaru stood next to the Ino-Shika-Cho memorial located on the outskirts of Konohagakure, looking at the sky. Carved into the stone with care and precision were the symbols of the Yamanaka, Nara, and Akimichi clans respectively, a testament to the three clans' bond and their bond with Konoha.

Members of all three clans would be gathering here today; in many other clans, only family members were allowed, but the families of Ino-Shika-Cho might as well be one giant clan with three branches. In fact, generations ago, that was exactly what they were: founded by three exceptionally powerful sisters who remained close even after marrying into different clans, bringing peace through their love for one another. They insisted their husbands live near each other, and raised their children to be more like siblings of the blood rather than distant cousins of different clans. That was when the tradition of Ino-Shika-Cho began, and every head of the three families since then had been part of such a trio.

So it was only natural that the three would be gathered together on this day - when Ino and Shikamaru formally became the heads of their clans.

"Hey."

Shikamaru turned as his friend and teammate, Yamanaka Ino, approached. She was dressed in a lilac-colored kimono with pale yellow edges and a yellow obi; white bush clovers were embroidered on the edges of her sleeves, and no doubt the Yamanaka clan symbol had been sewn on the back of the kimono, as the Nara clan's had been sewn onto his. Ino's long blond hair had been done up into two loops on her head, allowing a rare glimpse at both of her blue eyes, and both symbolic earrings in her ears.

Shikamaru wore a kimono of various forest greens, tied together with a black obi to symbolize the shadows his clan could so easily bend to their will. His hair was styled slightly different from his usual ponytail, instead pulled into two ponytails, in a way that made it look like there were antlers on his head. He thought it looked ridiculous, but his mother had insisted it was tradition and he was damn well going to honor it on today of all days.

"Hey," he replied, wishing his kimono had pockets so he could put his hands into them. He also wished he had Asuma's lighter with him, but he had reluctantly left that back at his house, again at his mother's behest.

"Can't believe this day's here," Ino said, a deliberately light note in her voice. Shikamaru nodded in acknowledgement. Over the years, he, Ino, and Choji had only occasionally talked about when they would become clan leaders together, and when they would raise their kids as the next generation of Ino-Shika-Cho; always they avoided the obvious that would lead to their ascension, and those discussions would also end quickly, usually with Shikamaru saying leadership was too much of a drag, or Ino lamenting about how'd she have to fight off too many suitors to do her duty properly, Choji agreeing with a nod of his head because his mouth was full.

Ino continued, "I know it's kind of silly, because obviously this wouldn't happen if they were here, but I wish our dads could see this." A slight pause. "Or at least, Asuma-sensei."

Shikamaru nodded, a tiny lump forming in his throat that he stubbornly pushed down. "Yeah. I know what you mean." Asuma's daughter, Mirai, was here today, being pushed around in a little coach by her mother Kurenai; she, as well as the Sandamie Hokage's grandson, Sarutobi Konohamaru, were here representing the Sarutobi clan, with whom the Nara, Yamanaka, and Akimich clans had been friendly with for years and years, even before the founding of Konoha. It was they that had convinced the three clans to hear out Hashirama Senju, and, as they say, the rest is history.

"Oh, my, Ino-chan, you look lovely! You, too, Shikamaru-kun, how splendid!" Choza Akimichi's called in a strong voice as he grew closer, his son and Shikamaru and Ino's friend and final teammate, Choji, by his side. They were also dressed in fine kimonos, Choza in yellow and Choji in red, but they were not as decorated as Shikamaru's and Ino's, since - luckily, Shikamaru thought without malice but maybe a little bit of wistfulness - Choji would not be succeeding his father today.

Ino gave Choza a kiss on the cheek. "Thank-you, Choza-ji-san," she replied with a smile. Choza held out his hand and Shikamaru grasped it tightly in a handshake, accepting both the congratulations and comfort present in the gesture. Today was probably a hard day for the 15th Akimichi head as well, seeing his two best friend's children take their places as leaders in their fathers' passing.

Choza looked around, taking in the amount of people milling about, some already sitting in the chairs that had been set up in front of the memorial stone. "Ah, it looks like most everyone is here," he observed. "Probably about to start."

As the words left his mouth, a small gong sounded, directing everyone's attention to Shikamaru's and Ino's mothers, Nara Yoshino and Yamanaka Suisen, who stood directly in front of the stone.

"Attention, everybody!" Yoshino called, waiting for everyone to quieten down. "Attention, please be quiet! We are about to start." She glanced over and caught her son's eye, and motioned for them to move. Shikamaru nodded, and he and Ino moved away from the stone, heading to the back of the crowd so they could come up the aisle. Along the way they passed Hatake Kakashi, in his capacity as Hokage-elect (he had yet to have _his_ inauguration); while usually the leader of the village would have a prime spot at any ceremony, this was a clan function, an initiation far older than Konohagakure, and so the Hokage was seated farther back, after all the clan members.

Once everyone was quiet and Shikamaru and Ino were all the way in the back, waiting, Yoshino and Suisen rang the gong again, and then a small band, armed with flutes, a little drum, and a shamisen, began to play. To the soft and steady beat, Shikamaru and Ino stepped forward, in unison.

When they reached the memorial stone, they both bowed and then sat on their knees, heads bowed as they waited for their mothers, their closest family members, to begin.

"State your names and lineages," Yoshino ordered in a clear voice. The music had stopped, so everyone could hear her words and, more importantly, the oaths the two shinobi would swear.

"Nara Shikamaru, son of Nara Shikaku and Nara Yoshino."

"Yamanaka Ino, daughter of Yamanaka Inoichi and Yamanaka Suisen."

Suisen stepped forward then; in order of the Ino-Shika-Cho formation and the clan crests, the Yamanaka oath would be taken first.

"Do you swear to uphold the laws and traditions of the Yamanaka clan, lead its members with wisdom and strength, and do what is best for your kin?" Suisen asked her daughter.

"I do," Ino responded.

"Do you swear to honor and respect the memory of the 15th generation, and defend their oaths, and to bring up the 17th generation to do the same?"

"I do."

"Do you swear to protect the Nara and Akimichi clans and the bond between the three clans? And do you swear to protect Konohagakure no Sato, and give your loyalty to it as shinobi?"

"I do."

Ino's mother nodded approvingly, then stepped back to let Yoshino ask the same questions of Shikamaru, just different names of course, plus one extra question about preserving the Nara clan forest and protecting it from outsiders.

"I do," Shikamaru said for the last time.

The gong sounded one more time, and then Ino and Shikamaru rose, fluidly as befitted shinobi. Their mothers bent into small bows before them, which they returned. Then, they turned around to face the crowd, their clans. Everyone rose from their seats and bowed just as Yoshino and Suisen had done, and Shikamaru and Ino returned these as well after a beat.

Finally everyone rose, and Suisen announced in a loud voice, "I present to you the new heads of the Yamanaka and Nara clans, Yamanaka Ino-sama and Nara Shikamaru-sama!"

Applause sounded at that, almost deafening from the amount of people there. Shikamaru smiled despite himself; it was a happy day for his clan and the others, even though a tint of sadness remained. For a moment, he thought he smelled cigarette smoke, and a hand on his shoulder that felt much like his father's.

His smile grew a little wider at the thought.

* * *

 **A.N - So what did you think? Please let me know!**

 **I know that we saw a little bit of the Akimichi oath in the manga, but I thought I would expand the ascension ceremony because...I just thought it would be interesting. I was originally only going to do it with Shikamaru, but Ino was in the same position, and since all three clans are so close, I figured they would do these ceremonies together, if possible; obviously, as mentioned, Choji wasn't going to go through with it with those two.**

 **I might add more to it, but I'm not sure yet. Let me know what you think and if you have any ideas to expand this.**


	2. Chapter 2

_4-and-a-half-year-old Yamanaka Ino was upset._

 _She sat on the front step of her porch, a pout on her face, as she waited for her father to come home. The two of them, as well as her mother, had been eating dinner when a clansman of theirs rushed in, sweating, long blond hair coming out of the traditional ponytail, saying things like "It happened!" and "She's here!". Ino's father had gotten up then and left with the other man quickly; by the smile on his face and the calm way her mother had continued eating, Ino knew there was no danger and she wouldn't have to hide in the back closet, like the way her parents had taught her in case of an attack, but the child still wasn't very happy at the interruption._

 _It was the third time that week. Honestly, why couldn't her clansmen just stop having babies? Just for a little while? If only her mother would give her a straight answer on how they were made..._

 _Finally, after what seemed like forever, the tall form of Yamanaka Inoichi, head of Konohagakure's Yamanaka clan, came into sight. No longer willing to stay still, Ino got up and ran towards her father, jumping up when she got close enough._

 _Inoichi was surprised, but rather pleased, and caught his daughter with ease, swinging her around for a moment before clutching her to him._

 _"Well, and what have I done to deserve this?" he asked playfully. "Did you stay up just for me? I'm surprised Kaa-chan let you."_

 _But Ino, despite enjoying being in her father's arms, was still upset. "Tou-chan," she asked, still pouting, "don't you love me?"_

 _Her father looked down at her in shock. "Of course, Ino-chan! How could you ever doubt that? What makes you say that?"_

 _"Then how come ya keep goin' to other babies' birthdays?" Ino cried. "I thought I was your only princess!"_

 _Something clicked in Inoichi's head. With a chuckle, he began walking towards their home, but stopped at the porch, sitting down and arranging his daughter so she sat on his lap. "Ah, Ino-chan, I'm actually glad you asked that. Maybe you're not too young to learn about this."_

 _Ino looked at her father curiously, a bit of her annoyance disappearing. She always liked it when he spoke to her like an adult._

 _"As you know," Inoichii began, "I'm the leader of our clan, Ino. That means I have a responsibility towards each and every one one of our clan members - I'm here to ensure their health, well-being, and the safety of their futures." He poked her in the stomach, making her squeal in indigination but smile at the same time. "Each and **every** one, even the babies. I have to make sure they're welcomed properly into the clan. I want them, as well as their parents, to know I'm glad they're a part of our family and that I will look after them."_

 _Blue eyes met blue eyes as Inoichi gazed at his daughter and asked seriously, "Do you understand, Ino?"_

 _Ino tilted her head, thinking. Her tou-chan's words were a little hard for her to process, but she got the point of it._

 _"I think so, Tou-chan," she replied eventually. Inoichi nodded, and then placed a hand on her head._

 _"I hope you do," he said, "because one day you'll have to do it, too, Ino-chan, when you're the clan head." Then he smiled, wider, and the seriousness left his eyes a bit. "But you'll have plenty of time to understand, because I don't plan on that happening for a while." Leaning in conspiratorially, he added. "And for the record, sweetheart, you **are** my only princess."_

 _Ino grinned back at him. "I know, Tou-chan!" She leaned in and gave him a kiss. Inoichi smiled fondly, and then, his daughter still in his lap, rose and went inside, where his wife was waiting with a smile and a wink._

 _..._

Eighteen-year-old Yamanaka Ino walked through the halls of the Konoha Interrogation Unit headquarters, having just given her witness statement for a small robbery committed against a clock shop across the street from Yamanaka Flowers - the first floor of Interrogation acted as the regular police station, ever since the Uchiha Massacre. Ino was sometimes in the deeper section of the unit, helping whenever a clan member of hers who worked there couldn't make it, but she hoped to not make it a permanent career like her father had.

Ino reached the receptionist desk when the sliding glass door that acted as the front door opened, and to her suprise, she saw Sai, a member of Team 7, enter.

"Sai!" she called, waving him over.

The pale youth looked over, and there was a small flicker of surprise in his eyes, undetectable by any who didn't know him. He walked over to Ino, altering his course slightly.

"Hello, Ino," he greeted.

"How are you?" Ino asked. "What are you doing here?"

"I have an appointment with Morino-san," he answered. There was a slight pause, then he added, "About ROOT."

"Oh, of course." Ino knew better to continue in that territory; ROOT was, to put it mildly, not one of Sai's favorite topics, nor any of his friend group's, really, so they all usually stayed away from it.

Sai tilted his head a bit, as if in thought. "Ino," he said. "Something happened recently, didn't it?"

Now it was Ino's turn to tilt her head, in confusion. "W-what do you mean?"

"I'm sure Sakura told me about it," Sai continued. "You and Shikamaru, something about family...did you two get married?"

" _WHAT?!_ " Ino shrieked, face going as red as a tomato. "That stupid Forehead didn't actually say that, did she?! No, no, of course not! Shikamaru is like my brother, and anyway, he and Temari are obviously going to get together! No, no!"

Sai blinked. "Oh," he said, in his usual monotone. "My mistake."

Finally, as Ino's blush began to fade, it dawned on her what Sakura must have told Sai. "Oh, me and Shikamaru...we were officially made head of our clans a couple weeks ago."

"Ah!" Sai's mouth twitched at the corner, his version of a satisfied smile. "Yes. That's what Sakura told me." There was a long pause then, where neither of them said anything, and Ino was beginning to feel a little uncomfortable - not because of Sai, but how shy he made her feel sometimes. Their personalities were so different, yet she felt good being with him.

Finally Sai said, "Well, I'm glad you didn't get married.

Ino perked up at that. "O-oh, r-really?"

"Yes. Ino - "

Sai's next words were drowned out by the sound of running and a loud shout of "INO-SAMA!" The young clan head turned immediately at the sound of her name, alarmed by both the tone and the honorific — the Yamanakas were not as traditional or formal as, say, the Hyuuga, and clan leaders were rarely addressed as "-sama" except during official meetings or times of dire crisis for the clan.

Rushing towards her and Sai from the way Ino had come was a clansman of hers — a second cousin trice removed or something — Yamanaka Haruo. His shoulder length dirty blond hair swung wildly as he ran, and when he got closer, Ino could see his brown eyes were wide and a little panicked.

"Haruo, what's wrong?" Ino asked when he stopped in front of her.

"Akiko!" he replied. "She's gone into labor! My sister-in-law just called me, her water broke!"

"Oh, my," Ino replied. "Is that alright?" Akiko, Haruo's wife, was only a little more than seven months along; clearly the baby decided it couldn't wait.

Haruo shook his head. "I don't know! I'm going there now. And - and - Ino-sama, I know it's traditional to wait after the birth, but since you're here, and I know you have some medical ninjutsu training, could you - could you please come with me? At least for a little while? If it gets too long, of course you can leave and I'll find you again, but -"

"Oh, Haruo, I'm sure they won't need me there," Ino protested. "Akiko is in good hands, I'm certain of it!" But then her clansman's gaze turned pleading, and she found herself saying, "But if you really want me to, of course." Ino knew it wasn't just labor anxiety, or even the early birth - Haruo and Akiko were about ten years older than her, and this was their first child, but not from lack of trying. It was understandable that Haruo was more nervous than most expectant fathers.

"Oh, Ino-sama, thank-you!" And then Haruo grabbed her hand and dragged her away, out the doors and towards the hospital, giving Ino a chance only to wave a hurried goodbye to Sai, who watched with a small tilt of his head, as if confused.

...

Akimichi-Yamanak Akiko's labor went long into the night, and much of the next day; through it all her husband stayed with her, and for moral support, Ino stayed as well, sitting in the waiting room with more immediate family members, such as Akiko's older sister Purin, her mother Rin, and Haruo's parents, Kotoba and Sagisō.

Finally, after about 30 hours, a newborn baby's cry was heard, very loud and sharp. The waiting room erupted in applause, and the child's aunt and grandparents hurried to the door, eager for their chance to see their new member. Ino got up and stretched her legs, deciding to take another of many walks around the floor; she knew it would be a little while more before she was wanted.

She was getting something from a vending machine when Sagisō found her. "Ino-sama," the older woman said politely. "They're ready for you."

"Thank-you, Sagisō-san," Ino replied.

When she got into the hospital room, she saw Haruo seated on a chair beside the bed, where Akiko, lay, looking exhausted and sweaty, but with a smile on her face as she looked down at a bundle in her arms. When she heard Ino enter, they both looked up, and directed their smiles at her.

"Ino-sama," Akiko said pleasantly, "thank-you for coming." She lifted the baby in her arms slightly, and carefully laid it in Ino's own. "We would like to officially introduce our son, Yamanaka Ichimaru."

Ino looked at the baby. He had a few wisps of hair that were too light to know the color, though she'd bet it was brown; his eyes were the dazzling Yamanaka blue, which rarely changed in newborns in their clan. Ichimaru seemed confused about whose arms he was in now, and weakly raised a tiny, chubby fist, as if demanding to be given back to his mother. Since Akiko was born into the Akimichi clan, Ino couldn't help but wonder if this was how Choji looked like when he was born.

"Hello, Ichimaru-kun," Ino said softly. She had a vague memory, one of her earliest, of sitting on her father's lap as he explained an important duty of the clan head. " _I have to make sure they're welcomed properly, Ino-chan. I want them to know that I will look after them."_

She knew what to do.

"It's very nice to meet you," the young head continued. "And I'm so glad you're here! I'm Ino, and I'm the leader of our clan. What that means, little one, is that I'm always going to be here for you, no matter what. If you have a problem you can't take to anyone else, you can come to me." She kissed his litte forehead, which seemed to calm him down a bit. "Welcome to the clan, Yamanaka Ichimaru. Welcome to the family."

* * *

 **A.N. - So I've decided to continue this (with a little bit of Ino/Sai ship tease). Mostly what it'll be is little snapshots about the Ino-Shika-Cho clans and their traditions (some I make up and hobble together from the manga, obviously), with maybe a few other clans and the history of Konoha thrown in there. We'll see. The timeline will jump around a little and there will be skips - obviously this chapter is set after the first one by only a few weeks, but I'm thinking of doing one set before the founding of Konoha, and then one just before Ino, Shikamaru, and Choji get married, something like that.**

 **Anyway, I hope you enjoy.**

 **Haruo – Japanese male name meaning "spring man"**

 **Akiko – Japanese female name meaning, among other things, "autumn child"**

 **Purin – Japanese pronunciation of the dessert pudding**

 **Kotoba – comes from the Japanese word _hanakotoba_ , the Japanese language of flowers**

 **Sagisō – Japanese name for the flower** _ **Habenaria radiata** , _**a type of orchd found in Asia.**

 **As you can see, I've decided the Yamanaks have a spring/flower theme naming when it's not Ino-, and the Akimichi have a food/autumn theme when not Cho-. I also liked the parallel that made for Haruo and Akiko.**


	3. Chapter 3

Thin daylight broke through the trees, creating patches of light on the forest floor as Nara Shikato, 12th head of the Nara clan, walked back to the small village he called home. Beside him walked his two closest companions and battle partners, Yamanaka Inomaru and Akimichi Choshirou. Inomaru was also head of his clan, his and Shikato's parents having fallen victim to a sickness that spread across their settlement some years back; the 11th head of the Akimichi clan, Choshirou's mother, however, was still alive and (mostly) well, even at the ripe old age of seventy.

A boy's laughter broke the stillness of the day, and Shikato smiled. His ten-year-old son, Shikatarou, had run ahead, racing his own best friends, Inomaru's and Choshirou's sons Inoji and Chosuke. The group had just come from a settlement northwest of theirs, too early to call a village yet, visiting Shikato's sister Kumori, who had recently married the leader of the settlement.

The abrupt way the boys, at the edge of a curve in the road still visible to their fathers, stopped, stumbling into one another and tensing, put Shikato on edge. Immediately he quickened his pace, reaching the boys in seconds, fingering a kunai hidden in the pouch strapped to his waist.

Fortunately, however, he managed to recognize the person in front of him before drawing any weapons.

"Ah, Sarutobi-san!" Shikato exclaimed. "How good it is to see you!"

Sarutobi Nisuke, leader of the Sarutobi clan, laughed, deep and throaty. "Haha, Shikato-kun, my boy, the pleasure is all mine! Oh, and Choshirou-kun, Inomaru-kun, you're here as well, wonderful!" He then smiled down at the three boys, who had moved a little closer once they realized the stranger was not, in fact, a stranger to their fathers.

"Hello, there, boys," Sarutobi-san said kindly. Inoji and Chosuke mumbled greetings, and Shikatarou smiled somewhat shyly.

Sarutobi-san looked back at the older generation. "I guess I shouldn't be too surprised to see you, as we've just come from your village. I was sad to have missed you, but it seems Fate is smiling on me today!"

"Oh?" said Choshirou. "Did anyone buy anything? I feel certain you were by not that long ago."

The Sarutobi clan was a group of traveling merchants - at least, that was their cover story, as like most shinobi clans, they were often hired by daimyo and other factions to fight in wars. But the Sarutobi were also legitimate sellers, and roamed around the countryside, going village to village, hawking their wares as they searched for new clients. Even now, Nisuke was pulling a small wooden wagon behind him, balancing it on two wheels while he stood between two bars like a yoked oxen. The Sarutobi clan symbol, a straight line with two lines curving up and two lines curving down, each with a dot over top, was painted in black on the side.

"Ah, yes, well we weren't selling anything today - at least, nothing physical," Sarutobi-san replied.

Shikato frowned. "None in our village need your...other services, no disrespect meant, Sarutobi-san. We can certainly take care of our own."

"Oh, certainly, certainly," Sarutobi-san replied. "I understand why you'd think so, but that's not what I meant." He paused. "Perhaps I'll let you three get back to your village. I've talked with Choshirou-kun's mother already, and she can tell you."

The three men glanced at each other, but nodded. It was not like Sarutobi-san to be so vague, but perhaps it was something that could not be said out in the open - anyone, or anything, could be listening.

"That we shall do so," Inomaru said. "I wish you the best on the rest of your travels. Do give the family our regards."

"Yes," said Shikato, remembering something. "You son...Sasuke. Isn't he married now?"

Sarutobi-san grinned. "Yes, indeed he is. And a father now, too! Can you believe it? I'm a grandfather!"

"Oh, congratulations!" Choshirou exclaimed, clapping the older man on the shoulder. Sarutobi-san winced a little, but no one commented on it. "What's the child's name?"

"Hiruzen," Sarutobi-san replied, his grin softening into a proud smile. "My grandson Hiruzen."

"Well, congratulations again," Inomaru said. "I hope we can see Sasuke and the little one soon."

"Certainly, certainly," Nisuke agreed. He reached out and ruffled Shikatarou's, Inoji's, and Chosuke's heads, then nodded a farewell to their fathers. "Well, I'd best be on my way. I'll let you get home, find out what I mean."

The three men nodded, and then bowed to the older man; the boys followed suit.

Sarutobi-san nodded again and then moved past them, going on his way.

Shikato placed a hand on his son's back, pushing him forward slightly. "Come on, then boys. Let's get home. Kaa-san will be waiting for us."

Shikatarou looked at his friends and grinned, his dark green eyes lighting up with the thought of a challenge. "Race ya!"

Inoji reached up and fixed his ponytail, securing his dirty blond hair. "You're on!"

The two darted forward, running the rest of the way to the village. Chosuke, already taking after the traditional Akimichi body type, sighed and muttered something about "exercise being a drag" – no doubt something he picked up from his mother, a Nara, and her side of the family. Nonetheless, he started after his friends.

Soon they arrived at the village. It was more sophisticated than most, and certainly bigger, meant to house three clans instead of one. The three clans had separate housing for their families, the Nara to the west, the Akimichi to the south, and the Yamanaka to the east; in the middle of the village was a large meeting house where the three clan heads and their councils met and heard complaints from the villagers. Most of the land had originally belonged to the Nara, as they looked after the deer in a special forest that they had protected long before they had become family with the Akimichi and Yamanaka.

When they reached the village, the three men and their sons went their separate ways. with Inoji, Chosuke, and Shikatarou heading to their respective houses, while their fathers chose to go to the meeting house, to check on the matter Nisuke had told them about. Choshirou, in particular, motioned for his son to hurry.

"Go see what your mother has for dinner, help her set the table," he said.

"Yes, Tou-san," Chosuke replied.

The meeting house was round, made of sturdy wood from the nearby forest and topped with a thatched roof. It was one of the few buildings not meant for residency, but a couple years ago one of the office rooms had been refurbished into a room for Choshirou's mother, Chomei; she was getting weaker due to age and decided it was best just to have a spare bedroom in the meeting hall, so she wouldn't have to walk as far.

Her room was the first place Choshirou went, to check on her; she would also know exactly what Nisuke had meant.

The 11th Akimichi clan head, Chomei, was sitting upright in her bed, staring out the window. She turned at the sound of Choshirou's arrival. Raking her brown eyes over her son's appearance, she nodded in approval.

"Good to see you've made it back in one piece, then."

"Yes, Kaa-san," Choshirou replied. "It was a very quiet journey home."

"Good, good. And Kumori is well? That outsider treating her properly?"

"Yes, Kaa-san. She seems very happy."

"Hmm. Well. Onto the business at hand. Something... _unexpected_ came up while you were gone."

Choshirou stilled, waiting to finally hear the news.

"Two ninja came to the village yesterday. They wanted to...talk. About...a treaty. They're - they're - " A coughing fit suddenly overtook Chomei, and she raised a hand to her mouth as her body shuddered. Her son took a worried step forward, but after a moment the old woman was back to normal.

"I'm fine, I'm fine. Anyway - _cough_ \- they're in the meeting room in the back, I told them I needed to - _cough_ \- wait for Shikato-kun and Inomaru-kun."

Choshirou hesitated before saying, "Kaa-san...if you're unwell, you don't need to attend to our...guests. I am just as capable -"

"Nonsense!" The old woman leaned forward and issued her best death glare. Given that she was a fearsome and trained kunoichi, it was terrifying indeed. "I may have - _cough_ \- may have let you run things in my - _cough_ \- stead, but _I_ am _still_ head of this clan, as well as your _mother_. You - _cough_ \- will listen to _me_ , and follow _my_ lead if I so - _cough_ \- decide. Is that _clear?"_

Choshirou sighed. "Yes, Okaa-sama," he replied, hoping his overly respectful tone and acknowledgement of her as leader would placate her.

It seemed to work, because his mother simply nodded and settled back onto the pillows, satisfied that her rule was not being challenged. Her son was a good boy, and had proven himself fit to lead, which was why these days she left many of the day-to-day tasks to him. He was not overly ambitious, and she'd never had conflict with him like she'd had with her twin brother, Chokichi, whom their father had appointed co-head with her on his deathbed. Chomei had loved him, of course, had mourned him and still missed him at times, but she could not deny leading the clan had been much easier since he'd been fatally wounded by enemy ninja on a trade route.

"Good, then. Tell those two to meet us in the back room, then, and we will attend to our guests."

...

The guests, to Choshirou, Inomaru, and Shikato's great surprise, were Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara.

The two clans were famous, of course, for their powerful jutsu and great fighting abilities. The Akimichi, Nara, and Yamanaka clans had fortunately never crossed blades with them in recent memory, preferring to stay out of the way of those groups when they got into their renowed violent quarrels.

And yet, both Senju and Uchiha sat peacefully, sipping the tea as they sat on the floor, explaining the vision they'd had of allying multiple clans in the Land of Fire, not just their own.

Chomei frowned at them. To accomdate her age and her old bones, she sat on a small chair so she wouldn't have to bend down so much. "How are we to know you're not just using us for our abilities? Others have come before you, preaching alliances, only to leave our clans at the mercy of their enemies while they fled to safety. That's how my father died, how those two's" she waved her arm at Inomaru and Shikato "grandfathers died. Why are you any different?"

Hashirama leaned forward eagerly. "You see, Akimichi-san, we –"

"And another thing! Your honorifics! Has no one taught you etiquette, boy?" Chomei interrupted. Beside her, unnoticed – or perhaps ignored – Choshirou's face fell, apalled at his mother's rudeness. "A clan leader, one with whom you're trying curry favor, deserves to be addressed with all the respect due them, and then some!"

"Etiquette also dictates, I believe," answered the quiet Madara, "that one's guests deserve to be addressed with all the respect due them, and then some." He leaned forward, locking gazes with Chomei, who watched him warily; Hashirama also looked over at hs friend nervously. "At least we have called you Akimichi-san, and treated you as an equal."

Chomei sized up the younger shinobi, as if recalculating her opinion of him. "Well, how else should I be treated, Uchiha-san?"

"As nothing less!" chimed Hashirama, bringing the attention back to him. "And this alliance that we propose, Akimichi...san, Nara-san, Yamanaka-san, is not one of war and battles, but of peace! Of many clans, families, and individuals coming together in harmony! To do away with the bloodshed of the past!"

The old woman snorted. "Lofty goals, Senju-san. Particularly since - _cough_ \- _your_ clan has done the most killing in these wars, mostly against the Uchiha." She leaned forward and squinted at them, examining them more closely. "Though, I admit, seeing an Uchiha and a Senju, sitting side by side and preaching peace...I never would have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes."

"Then surely that fact is proof that we mean what we say," Hasihirama replied, tone almost pleading. "We want you to join us, in making a community, perhaps even a village, where shinobi and civilians, rival clans, may live together. Peace and harmony really is our goal. Lofty it may be, as you said, and very difficult, we know, but one we are willing to do anything to achieve."

Chomei sat back, considering. While she did so, Madara turned to face Shikato and Inomaru.

"And what of you?" he asked. "Will the Nara and Yamanaka clans join us? Even if the Akimichi clan will not?"

Chomei let out an indignant hiss at that, and even Choshirou narrowed his eyes at the Uchiha. But neither needed to worry about the man driving a wedge between their friends and themselves, for Inomaru responded,

"We might join you, Uchiha-san, but not without the Akimichi. You come to us, as if we are three different clans, and indeed, we have our separations, and three different clan heads. But you must know this is not the whole truth. We make all our decisions together, as like one clan, and one clan will not do anything, not decide anything, on such a large scale of significance as this, without the other two."

Madara stared at the Yamanaka head, taking in his words. Finally he nodded. "Very well. I understand."

"This is, indeed, an important decision," said Hashirama, his excitement reigned in from earlier. "Perhaps we should give you time to ponder."

"I think that would be best," said Shikato. "You and your entourages, of course, are welcome to stay the night, and however long we need to give you our answer."

"That's very kind of you," Hashirama answered. He stood up and bowed to the clan heads, and after a moment, Madara did the same. Shikato nodded to one of the Nara retainers, who had been designated a guide/guard for their guests - shinobi villages could never take too many precautions - and the young woman nodded, gesturing for the foreign ninja to follow her to their rooms.

...

About a week later, Chomei, Choshirou, Shikato, and Inomaru, along with Hashirama and Madara, were gathered once more in the back room in the meeting house.

"We," Chomei declared, speaking for all four of them, as was her right as the eldest one there, "have come to a decision. The Akimichi, Nara, and Yamanaka clans will - _cough_ \- ahem, that is we will join you in this...endeavor of yours. This village idea."

Hashirama, who had once more been kneeling on the floor, jumped up, beaming. "Oh, Akimichi-san, thank-you! Nara-san, Yamanaka-san - and you, too, Choshirou-san - thank-you! Thank-you! You will not regret this, I promise. We - that is, the Senju, and I, and the Uchiha, we - we are _committed_ to making this dream of peace a reality. I know we can do, working together -"

"Boy, calm down," Chomei replied sternly, narrowing her eyes at the younger clan head. "By the gods, compose yourself! You'll make me wish I hadn't said yes!"

Immediately Hashirama quieted down, and, at Madara's pointed look, sat back down on the ground. "Of course, of course. My apologies, Akimichi-san."

"Now, this is not a perpetual agreement," added Shikato, watching the Senju carefully. "And we have some...stipulations."

"Do you now?" Madara said quietly, tilting his head to regard the Nara just as carefully.

Shikato nodded. "Yes. We - that is, the Nara - we will not leave this land. It is ours to safeguard and protect, until the end of our line. If we are to make a village, we must have boundaries still. Those with permission from the Nara will be able to enter, but the forest and the immediate land are not to be touched by outsiders."

Hashirama and Madara looked at each other. They seemed to have a silent conversation, and after a minute or so, Hashirama turned back to his hosts. "Very well, that seems a reasonable request. This is healthy, fertile land, all over, so it shouldn't be a problem leaving some of your territory intact."

Shikato nodded satisfied. Inomaru spoke up then, saying,

"And, as Shikato said, we are not binding ourselves to you forever. We would like to be able to remove ourselves, after three years, if it is not to our liking."

Hashirama frowned, and again he and Madara discussed this over with their eyes alone. "Well, that seems a small amount of time...but of course, we do not wish to force you to stay..."

"We hope, as well as you, that this is a success," Choshirou added. "Please don't take this as a sign of ill faith. But we must consider our people, and their well-being."

"Of course, of course." Hashirama beamed again, his excitement too large to contain. He stood once more, bowed, and then extended his hand. "I look forward to strenghtening the health and well-being of _all_ our clans, and all those will be a part of our village."

And, to cement this tenuous alliance, all three heads, Akimichi, Yamanaka, and Nara, reached out and shook the Senju's hand.

* * *

 **A.N. - Whew! I finally got around to finishing this chapter. It's not entirely how I want it, but I think the ending is good. The clans ask for a three-year trial, but we all know how that goes :)**

 **What did you think of my OCs for the 12th and 13th Ino-Shika-Cho? I tried to do some math and I think that's the right generation count, but I could be wrong.**

 **I decided to name the Third Hokage's grandfather after Sarutobi Nisuke, a real life person said to have partly inspired the legendary ninja figure Sarutobi Sasuke, after whom both Uchiha Sasuke and the Third Hokage's father are named after**.


End file.
